1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication device having a confidential data storage area for storing confidential data for specific individuals transmitted from remote communication devices via a communication circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a storage area used in facsimile devices, which is often called a "message box," is provided with a plurality of storage areas for storing confidential data for specific individuals. Each of these storage areas is allocated to a different specific individual. When the facsimile device is set in an answering mode, facsimiles or voice can be transmitted via a telephone circuit from remote facsimile devices or similar devices having communication functions and recorded in a storage area corresponding to a designated message box number. Then, a specific individual wishing to know the contents of messages sent to him or her can directly operate the facsimile device to extract the contents of this message box by performing prescribed operations that include the entering of a personal identification number (PIN) or security access code. The specific individual can also extract the messages via the telephone circuit using remote facsimile devices by also performing the prescribed operations. In other words, when the data stored in the storage area corresponding to the message box is facsimile data, the data can be printed out on recording paper. When the stored data is voice data, the data can be played back as voice data from a speaker.
However, conventional facsimile devices are inconvenient in that messages cannot be inputted into the message box via a telephone circuit unless the facsimile device has bene set to a specific mode, such as the answering mode. Further, the contents of the message box cannot be extracted via a telephone circuit unless the facsimile device is in this specific mode. Hence, when a person calls the facsimile device not in the answering mode to input a message into the message box, that person must wait until someone answers, request that the facsimile device be set to the answering mode, and then hang up and redial. Moreover, if no one answers the telephone when the facsimile device is not set in the answering mode, it is completely impossible to input a message into the message box. The very same problems occur when the owner of the message box wishes to retrieve the contents of his or her message box via the telephone circuit.
On the other hand, there exist facsimile devices provided with a handset capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data between a base unit. The handset is capable of calling a remote communication device and receiving calls from the remote communication devices even when the handset is at a position separated from the base unit. Further, the handset is capable of remotely controlling the base unit through the execution of prescribed operations and can set the base unit to be able to receive a facsimile, which is extremely convenient.
However, conventional facsimile devices are inconvenient in that the handset cannot be used to control the storing of data in a message box for a specific individual, which data has been transmitted through the telephone wires, nor the outputting through telephone wires of data for a specific individual, which data is stored in the message box. Hence, when a person calls the facsimile device to input a message into the message box, if someone answers on the handset, the caller must request that the facsimile device be set in the answering mode, and then hand up and redial. The very same problem occurs when the owner of the message box wishes to retrieve the contents of his or her message box via a telephone circuit.